There must be creative unionist leaders who can come up with alternative Twelfth celebrations to bonfires

While acknowledging the tragic loss of life that occurred in relation to the Twelfth bonfire preparations, I feel I must raise the issue of the environmental impact of bonfires.

People probably don’t want to know the exact tonnage of carbon released into the atmosphere by 250 bonfires around Northern Ireland but if we celebrate or promote bonfires, eg the world record for the tallest bonfire, we are again ignoring the inconvenient truth.

The protection of the environment is crucial to our future and we don’t have the luxury of rationalising our behaviour anymore.

The forest fires in Europe may seem to dwarf 250 bonfires but the wheel of comparison — rationalisation — apparent justification ensures nothing ever changes.

We cannot justify something we know is harmful.

The loss of our beautiful environment really underlines the urgency of our need to change, first and foremost in terms of attitude. We are either for our environment, or we don’t care. Hard decisions must be made.

Surely there are imaginative and creative leaders in the unionist community who can come up with alternative ways to celebrate the Twelfth?

At least to acknowledge there is a problem would be a first step.

Barry Lunny, Stepaside, Dublin